Southern Art-Victoria Ahn
Victoria Ahn Language Arts Ms. Lee 3/6/2017 ' ' Southern Art during the 1930s and 1940s The 1930s and 1940s developed the form of art energetically into a new industrial age which portrayed the economic and cultural fabric of the land. Also, this was the era when artist self-consciously sought to reach broader layers to the public. Adopting the concept of “regionalism,” also known as “American Scene,” a lot of the paintings and sculptures during the era depicted American urban and rural scenes. The American Scene movement was approached by many artists, including Thomas Hart Benton, who traveled around the South and captured the landscape and atmosphere in his paintings. The 1930s and 1940s of the South was a period of intense artistic experimentation, when new forms of art were explored, and transformative cultural institutions were found. From 1930 through the 1940s was the “Hard Times” in America. People needed forms of entertainment, particularly in an inexpensive way to captivate themselves from the hard days. Artists depicted the South’s landscape, atmosphere of the communities, and portraits to express feelings and emotions of the society, creating sympathy with citizens. Art was assisted by the government which resulted in production of artworks for all to enjoy. The expressions shown in the paintings and sculptures in the South during the 1930s to 1940s portrays the history of the nation. “American Scene” was a naturalist style of painting, popular during the era. American Scene is a term for the rural “American Regionalism” and the urban and politically oriented “Social Realism.” American Scene was one way of interacting with the current politic and the emotion towards it, which made American Scene a famous style. This form of art made a clear interpretation about the conflicts of American life, leading to more attention from the people. As the government invested a lot of effort into introducing art, Southern art was highly valued. "I have a sort of inner conviction….I have come to something that is in the image of America and the American people of my time." Thomas Hart Benton was an artist to the “American Scene Painting Movement,” who captured modern American life. Most of his paintings interprets with landscape and portraits, which was inspired by the form of art, “regionalism.” Artists analyze that the main reason behind his contribution was the thematic emphasis on images of ordinary people and common lore. Benton’s large- scale paintings reflects on on the values of working class citizens, and drawing attention to the plight of farmers and the negative effect of industrialization. Benton is considered an outspoken person by his sense of expression to his thoughts with his artworks. All of his paintings stands out by its exaggerated forms of shapes and colors that catches the attention to the idea that his is trying to explicit. In fact, Benton boldly used his artwork against the KKK, lynching and fascism during the 1930s and 1940s. The expansion of both the range of possible artistic subject matter and the potential of public American art is a legacy of Thomas Hart Benton. Southern Art had a lasting impact upon all aspects of America. The 1930s and 1940s became a decade of documentary expression, one in which artists explored alternate representational forms. Designed with the aim of revealing the desperate reality, Southern Art has drawn a history of America. “Some of the best work that's happening right now is from architects who have remained in their home countries and who have focused on a local or national identity and the idea of critical regionalism.” (Cameron Sinclair) Works Cited America After the Fall: Painting in the 1930s. The Sackler Wing. 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Web. 19 Apr. 2017. "Thomas Hart Benton Biography, Art, and Analysis of Works." The Art Story. Modern Incite, n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2017. "What Impact Did the Conditions of the 1930s Have on the Arts? What Were the Significant Art Movements and Contributions of This Decade?" Enotes.com. Enotes.com, 30 Jan. 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.